Ajax1978
asked
Chris Delyani:
It’s almost 3am. I was bored today and my bf is in Florida for a few days watching some spring training baseball. I decided to reread “The Love Thing” and good grief once again I couldn’t stop until I finished. This is probably the fourth time I’ve read it. I have no question. Just a thank you for your wonderful writing. :) turns out I need to ask a question to make GoodReads happy. How much is autobiographical?
Chris Delyani
You’ve read it four times?! I’m astonished and flattered.
I’m afraid there’s not much autobiographical in the book. It’s true that I moved to San Francisco and spent my first months here bored out of my mind as a temp, but the rest of it is pretty much made up. I never took the LSAT and doubt I could score as high as Greg does. My dad was an electrician, not a lawyer, and I met my husband (a tool-and-dye maker) outside of the office. I doubt if my own life could fill a 100,000-word story.
If anything, my decision to drop everything and move to SF to devote myself to my art comes closer to Peter in “You Are Here,” although I regret to say I’m not as patient or forgiving as he is in that book. The character of Nick shares many details from my own life: childhood in Boston, youngest son in a Greek-American family, B.U. grad, a little too quick with his words. In many ways Peter represents the guy I’d like to be, while Nick represents the guy I’m afraid to become. That’s something to consider if you ever decide to read that one again.
Anyway, thanks for being such a loyal fan. Hopefully I’ll have new work to keep you up at night.
I’m afraid there’s not much autobiographical in the book. It’s true that I moved to San Francisco and spent my first months here bored out of my mind as a temp, but the rest of it is pretty much made up. I never took the LSAT and doubt I could score as high as Greg does. My dad was an electrician, not a lawyer, and I met my husband (a tool-and-dye maker) outside of the office. I doubt if my own life could fill a 100,000-word story.
If anything, my decision to drop everything and move to SF to devote myself to my art comes closer to Peter in “You Are Here,” although I regret to say I’m not as patient or forgiving as he is in that book. The character of Nick shares many details from my own life: childhood in Boston, youngest son in a Greek-American family, B.U. grad, a little too quick with his words. In many ways Peter represents the guy I’d like to be, while Nick represents the guy I’m afraid to become. That’s something to consider if you ever decide to read that one again.
Anyway, thanks for being such a loyal fan. Hopefully I’ll have new work to keep you up at night.
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